In laying pipe such as in a gas or oil pipe line it is conventional that lengths of the pipe are supported end to end on stack lumber pieces known as "skids" so that the pipe lengths can be held at a required height to be supported and aligned end to end for welding of the lengths prior to feeding of the completed welded length into a trench adjacent to the stacks.
Thus the pipe lengths are initially arranged end to end and are properly aligned by arranging sufficient of the lumber pieces to support the pipe length at the required height. With the pipe lengths so supported, the welding is carried out to form the lengths into a continuous length for laying in the ground.
The continuous length is then lifted from the supporting stacks and deposited into the ground by a train of tracked vehicles carrying suitable operation element so that the lifted continuous pipe length can be feed from the supported position into the trench. After the pipe has been laid, it is necessary to collect the lumber pieces from the stacks and to discharge the collected lumber pieces into a transport container for removal from the sight and preferable for use at a further location along the pipeline.
A the present time the lumber pieces which are conventionally five feet in length and 6 inches by 4 inches in cross section are lifted manually and handled manually for stacking onto a transport container. This manual process is expensive and time consuming since it requires a gang of laborers working vigorously at high wage rates. In many cases that stack has been disturb so that the pieces are strewn and in some cases the pieces are compresses into the ground by the tracks of the passing vehicles.
While this step relatively minor one in the process of laying the pipe line, it constitutes a significant expense and therefore provides a significant opportunity for manufacturer of an effective machine which will carry out this step while eliminating or reducing the manual labor involved.